Photopolymerization reactions using organic dyes as photosensitizers and image recording processes utilizing them have been known. However, the sensitivity thereof is relatively lower than that of silver halide light-sensitive materials, for example the ISO sensitivity thereof is generally 10.sup.-3 or less. Although the polymer image obtained by photopolymerization has various uses, use of it is restricted because of the low sensitivity. Thus, high sensitivity of a photopolymerization process has been desired.
Various processes have been attempted for sensitizing polymerization reactions using a silver halide emulsion as a light-sensitive material. For example, there is a process wherein a polymerization reaction is caused by radicals formed in the step of development of silver halide as described in Japanese Patent Applications (OPI) Nos. 78153/83, 169143/83 and 174947/83 (the term "OPI" as used herein refers to a "published unexamined Japanese patent application"), a process wherein polymerization reaction is caused by radicals formed in the case of oxidizing silver images obtained from silver halide with peroxide as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,241,962, a process wherein silver halide in the nonexposed area is transferred and a polymerization reaction is caused by radicals formed by oxidizing the transferred silver halide with peroxide as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,345,164, a process wherein silver halide is developed with a ferrous salt and a polymerization reaction is caused by radicals formed by oxidizing the residual ferrous salt with peroxide as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,029,145, and the like. However, all of these processes require wet processing in the steps of development of the silver halide light-sensitive material and radical formation.
Accordingly, it has been desired, hitherto, that polymer images formed by photopolymerization can be obtained even if the exposure amount is low. Further, it has been desired that the polymer image can be obtained by dry processing at a low exposure amount.